Viper Trident?

[ryaan21]

Hey all I have been tossing some ideas around about getting a new detector this summer.

I was looking for another land unit and still might be, however with the made up laws and idiots that run our park system the water is gonna be all that is left.

I was on kellyco and saw they have the Viper Trident refurb for $279 I think it is. Have any of you ever used one?

I have gone the refurb route in a few other areas and hobbies and never been burned.

The Viper Trident also comes with a 1 year warranty.

If you can think of any other brand that is decent and around $300-400 lemme know, I really want to try water hunting.

Thanks for your time.

 

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[Sandman]

If you were a Charter Member you could do a Search on that detector on this forum from the menu at the top in Blue. It would give you all the posts about guys telling what a waste of money this detector is. You are much better off with a used Fisher 1280 for that price. Tesoro's you can't get used anywhere near that price, nor White's. Garrett doesn't make a VLF water detector unfortunately.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Sandman is right.

Many machines these days are either made mostly in China or their low grade parts are sent here and then assembled mostly in Mexico and then finished in the US so the maker can advertise them as "Made In The U.S.A."

Sadly the days of quality American & Australian Made detectors is coming to an end. Right now some makers are making a killing off U.S. buyers.

In a few years the big trend will be buyers looking for the older quality made machines. Already this is happening to some extent.

I'd personally recommend spending more today and getting a real water machine like an older Minelab Excalibur or Tesoro Tiger Shark.

If you don't mind digging bottle caps and bobby pins (sometimes gold rings) at 14 inches deep I'll sell you my near mint Tesoro Piranha PI for $250 shipped.

Badger

 

[wyobuck]

I had one that worked pretty well. I got it for $99 at Kellyco on the BOGO deal. It worked everytime I took it out, unlike the the Minelab and Fischer machines I purchased to get the BOGO. I returned one CZ3D, two Minelab Xterra 705's, all were found to be defective. I did stay with the third 705 and love it.
The Viper worked well, even found coins in the water, very easy to use. I don't think I would pay $279 for one though, it wasn't that comfortable and was pretty heavy. If you are set on one, I suggest looking on ebay, should be able to find one under $200. If you don't need one completely submersible, there are plenty of decent machines out there that have waterproof coils. I now have a Whites Surf PI DF, it detects very deep. Great machine for the treasure coast, on dirty beaches you will be digging alot, but I use my Xterra there. Good Luck

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

If I was given one I would take it, (then sell it) but I would not buy one to keep, nor would I recommend it to anyone to buy it. ( No insult meant to you wyobuck at all.)

If you can't afford a new top of the line water detector, look for a good used one off the boards here, they come up fairly often......

I paid $475 for my last Excal I bought used, and it arrived in perfect working order. I spliced on a WOT coil and added a Straight Shaft for grand total of $600, half the price of a new one....Excal will tell you when a gold ring is there 10 inches deep even when there is an iron nail through the center of the ring, and it will hunt circles around a Viper Trident any day....